The Emperor Augustus

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The Isles of Scilly: ruined, lawless and up for sale. What more could a rich young reformer with a taste for autocracy seek

The Isles of Scilly are as close as Britain gets to the Caribbean. There are 350 or so islands, five of them inhabited — St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, St Agnes, Bryher. They have white crystal beaches, turquoise seas and sub-tropical vegetation.

At the beginning of the 21st century the islands are wild but well kept, much visited and prosperous. At the beginning of the 19th century they were a forgotten, neglected slum and by 1832 the landlords, the Duchy of Cornwall, were desperate for someone to take over their lease.